Ta Prohm, Siem Reap
After our visit to Angkor Wat our tuk-tuk driver brought us to Ta Prohm - one of many ancient temples that scatters the country side of the large Angkor complex. Unlike Angkor Wat which had been maintained and repaired over the years, after the Cham empire conquered the Angkor city, Ta Prohm was left to ruin. Massive stones once part of the temple lie scattered about. Several structures look as if they’ll collapse if you brush up against them ever so slightly. Several varieties of trees including the silk cotton tree, strangler fig, and gold apple emerge from the ruins to envelope and choke the structures still standing. It’s as if the forest is trying to reclaim the land from man’s manipulation. We honestly felt as if we were helping Indiana Jones discover some ancient artifact. Speaking of the silver screen, several scenes from the popular movie Tomb Raider were filmed at Ta Prohm.
